KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC central working committee meeting yesterday was a stormy affair when party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and vice-president Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar were involved in a heated row.

As reporters waited outside the meeting room at the MIC headquarters, the doors flung open and a visibly upset Nijhar stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

He was overheard shouting: "I never knew you to be such a cruel man. How can you simply sack a man?"

Nijhar walked away in a huff, refusing to answer questions from reporters.

At a press conference immediately after the row, Samy Vellu was asked about Nijhar's outburst.
The party president simply replied: "That's his problem (dia punya hal, dia punya pasal). This is a party where people have the right to argue and discuss."

It was later learnt that Nijhar was upset with the expulsion of former Kapar division chairman S. Subramaniam, better known as Jumbo Maniam.

Subramaniam later confirmed he had been expelled, but told the New Straits Times he did not know the real reason for his sacking.

He suspected it was because of his statement in the Tamil daily Malaysian Nanban where he had questioned the accounts of the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (Aimst) University.

"First, I was asked to explain why I questioned the accounts. Then I received a letter from the MIC headquarters yesterday informing me that I had been sacked from the party," he said.

At the press conference, Samy Vellu also spoke on the rebranding of the party where he said the MIC had come up with a new tagline "A New Generation Party" but would maintain its theme "MIC Cares".

Among the changes that it will bring under the rebranding exercise are a new logo, a new party song and new uniforms for the women, youth and puteri wings.

Samy Vellu said they would also ensure that 50 per cent of MIC members comprised youth.

Other changes include the establishment of a call centre that will be manned by two or three university graduates and launching of the MIC portal which will replace the previous website.

He said the re-branding exercise was necessary as the party needed a new approach to serve the community.

"If we do not keep up with the times, we may become irrelevant," he said, adding that these changes would be presented at the MIC's 62nd general assembly in July.

Asked about the leadership, Samy Vellu said: "We are re-branding the party now and the party will know when to rebrand the leadership."

On a another matter, Samy Vellu was asked if he was approached by Pakatan Rakyat to switch sides.

Initially he did not want to comment but when pressed further, the veteran politician said: "MIC will be with Barisan Nasional through thick and thin and has no intention to go anywhere."